Vacuum double seaming machine



Aug. 13,1940. I H.L.GuE-THER 2,211,112.

VACUUM DOUBLE SEAMING MACHINE Fil'ed March 3; 1939 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. HENRY l. GUENTHEI'? "0 m ,4 froze/1151's.

Aug. 13, 1940-. GUENTHER 2,211,112

VACUUM DOUBLE SEAMING MACHINE Filed March '5, 1939 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Hf/V/W L. Gl/fNTHf/F Iii/IT I mm I 1Q r romwzys.

Aug. 13, 1940. H. GUI'ENTHER VACUUM DOUBLE SEAMING MACHINE Filed March 3, 1939 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 13, 1940. I H. L. GUENTHER 2,211,112

VACUUM DOUBLE SEAMING MACHINE Filed March 3, 1939 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. Hf/WFY L Gl/f/VTHEE BY a, cam ATTORNEYS.

13, 1940- H. L. GUENTHER 2,211,112

VACUUM DOUBLE SEAMING MACHINE Filed larch :s, 19:59 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR. Hf/VR) L. (UENTHER A TTORNEYS.

Filed March 3, 1939 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR.

HENRY L GUENTHf/P BY Mm; W ATTORNEYS.

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Aug. 13, 1940. H. L. GUENTHER VACUUM DOUBLE SEAMING MACHINE Filed llarch 3, 1939 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR. f/f/V/FV L. Gui/V7775? BY mama /%MA TTORNEYS.

Aug. 13, 1940. H. L. GUENTHER 2,211,112

VACUUM DOUBLE SEAMING MACHINE Filgd March 3, 1939 I "10 Sheets-Sheet 10 z, a} N 270 [MENTOR 13?. If Hill/EFL Gui/Wm a ATTORNEY 245 Patented Aug. 13, 1940 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFiCE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to can sealing machinery and particularly pertains to a vacuum double seaming machine.

In the canning industry it is desirable to seal various products within double seaming machines under vacuum. In performing this operation it develops that various problems are present which require special attention in their solution. One of these problems has been to provide a vacuum double seaming machine through which filled cans may be moved at arelatively high rate of speed and in which machine the cans will be sealed by a rapid and effective double seaming operation. It has also been found desirable to provide simple means by which the cans are introduced into a vacuum chamber without breaking the vacuum seal within the chamber and while insuring that the introduced can and its contents will be subjected to a suitable vacuum prior to and during the double seaming operation, and that the can may afterwards be ejected from the vacuum chamber without breaking the vacuum. In this type of machinery it has also been ascertained that there is a tendency for the machine to overheat and it is desirable to properly lubricate and cool the machine so that it may function at high speed. Furthermore, it is often necessary to seal cans of various height and diameters which usually require the provision of separate machines to accommodate different sized cans.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a vacuum double seaming ma chine to and from which the cans may bemoved through valve structures of simple form and operation, whereby the vacuum chamber will be maintained sealed even while the cans are being introduced and removed from the chamber, and in which vacuum machine various adjustments are provided to readily adapt the machine to use with cans of different sizes and to furthermore provide a vacuum closing machine which has simple and effective cooling means, lubricating means and other refinements and details of construction of a novel character whereby vacuum sealing of, cans may be carried on efficiently at a high rate of speed and with a desired degree of vacuum action.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a can double seaming machine embodying the use of valves for the inlet and outlet of cans to a vacuum chamber, the said valve structures being novel in design and insuring proper delivery of cans and caps to the vacuum chamber and the withdrawal of the sealed cans .from the vacuum chamber without loss of vacuum, the structure embodying adjustable turrets and an adjustable frame structure whereby the height of different cans may be accommodated and the structure also embodying a lubricating and cooling system for the operating mechanism in the vacuum chamber, whereby wear of the parts will be eliminated and high speed action may be obtained.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in.the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing a form or". the vacuum machine with which the present invention is concerned, and having horizontally swinging valve units and a rigid base.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation showing the form of the invention in which the can valve is vertically adjustable with relation to the housing and in which the base of the housing is vertically adjustable.

Fig. 3 is a .view in plan showing the form of the invention disclosed in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view in vertical section and elevation showing a can valve unit of. the type particularly disclosed in Fig. 2 of the drawings and indicating in detail the means for vertical adjustment.

Fig. 5 is a View in central vertical section as seen on the line 55 of Fig. 3 disclosing the double seaming turret within the housing and the method of adjusting the seaming heads with relation to the seaming chucks.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged View in transverse section as seen on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. I

Fig. '7 is an enlarged view in section and elevation similar to thatdisclosed in Fig. 6 but showing the details of construction of a feed valve with greater particularity.

Fig. 8 is a view in diagram showing the flow plan of the machine.

Fig; 9 is a view in diagram showing the gear train of the vacuum seaming unit and the valves.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view in in which the valve structure swings horizontally.

Fig. 12 is a view in horizontal section as seen on the line l2--I2 of Fig. 11 and discloses the driving engagement of the drive shaft for the can valve turret.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary view in central section showing the interlocking safety clutch structure.

Fig. 14 is a view showing the vertical adjustment control mounted upon the lower turret of the double seaming unit.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 8 of the drawings it will be seen that two units are shown, an initial seaming unit ID and a final vacuum seaming unit H. The fiow of cans is delivered from a suitable can run and on to the feed disc I2, after which the cans pass along and between the guide rails l3 and I4 and on to a feed disc 15. The cans then pass around and between guide rails l6 and i1 and into the arcuate run 58, where they are delivered to the first seaming station represented by the initial double seaming unit l 9. At this station the cans pass into a rotary turret l9 where they are carried around the axis of a shaft 26 and during which time an initial sear. ing operation or clenching operation may be performed to produce a preliminary assembly of the can body with the can cap. seaming heads 2! are generally indicated in the drawings, it being understood that these seaming heads may be of any desired construction but preferably of the type shown in my U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,052,620 issued to me on the 1st day of September, 1936. When the cans leave the turret l9 they are engaged by the feed fingers 22 mounted upon a shaft 23 and then move along and around the guide rail 24 to a transfer disc 25. This disc delivers the cans on to a feed plate 26 of the vacuum seaming unit I I. Feed fingers 27 mounted upon a shaft 28 receive the cans and successively feed them into the inlet feed valve 29.

The construction of the inlet feed valve is more particularly disclosed in Figs. 4 and '7 of the drawings. Here it will be seen that an arcuate guide rail 35] is provided which is concentric with the axis of the shaft 28 and which shaft ismounted in a suitable bearing bracket 3|. The bearing bracket 3! is carried by the cylindrical valve housing 32 and is secured by suitable cap screws 33. The bearing bracket also carries guide fingers 34 which cooperate with the guide rail 3E! to form a throat through which the cans, generally indicated at 35, pass while entering the housing 32. The inlet valve housing 32 is provided with an inlet opening 36 to receive the cans and an outlet opening 31 through which the cans are ejected into the main housing 38 of the vacuum chamber 39 within which the cans are vacuum sealed.

Extending vertically through the housing 32 is a shaft 40. This shaft is mounted at its upper end within an anti-friction bearing ll carried by the cover plate 42 of the valve housing. The cover plate 42 is provided with a central bore 43 to receive the bearing 4! and is fitted with a packing gland cap 44 at the lower end of the bore and around the shaft 4| while the upper end of the bore is closed by a cover 55. Bolts 46 are provided to secure the members 44 and in assembled position at opposite sides of the mem ber 42 and the bearing M. A suitable space for grease is thus formed and a lubricant may be introduced through a member 41.

The shaft 40 is also mounted in a lower bearing including an anti-friction bearing element 43 which is carried in a central bore 49 of a lower spider 58. This spider is secured in position by cap screws 5|. An upper packing cup 52 is secured over the bearing 48 and is held in its assembled position by bolts 53. These bolts also pass through the flange of a threaded adjusting sleeve M which extends downwardly around a lower reduced ends of the shaft 43. Mounted over the threaded adjusting sleeve 54 is an outer sleeve 55 which is threaded on to the sleeve 54 and is provided with bosses 56 to receive a spanner wrench by which the outer sleeve may be rotated. The threaded portion of the outer sleeve is indicated at 51, where it will be seen to extend only a portion of the length of the bore of the sleeve, the remaining lower portion of the outer sleeve being counter-bored. The outer diameter of the outer threaded sleeve is externally threaded as indicated at 58 and engages a threaded portion 59 of a tubular standard 60. The tubular standard Bi) is fastened to a horizontal portion 6| of the main housing of the seaming machine by cap screws 62. By this arrangement rotation of the outer sleeve 55 will adjust the outer sleeve with relation to the standard $0 and the inner sleeve 54 so that the bearing structure 48, the member 50 and the valve housing 32 with all of its enclosed parts may be raised and lowered bodily for the purpose of adjustment, as will be hereinafter described.

Mounted within the valve housing 32 is a turret 63. This structure is formed with a central hub 64 which is keyed on to the shaft 40 and which carries an upper circular disc 65 and a lower circular disc 66. The two discs are cast integral with the hub 64 and are disposed parallel to each other. The discs are recessed, as indicated by dotted lines 6'! in Fig. '7 of thedrawings and thus form pockets 68 and intermediate arm portions 69. The pockets are designed to receive the cans which are being fed through the machine. The intermediate arm portions of the discs have arcuate outer faces 10 which are machined to have a running fit with the arcuate inner cylindrical face H of the valve housing 32. The pockets 68 will be bounded by solid walls and there will be a complete seal with the valve housing 32 when contiguous arcuate faces l0 are in register with the arcuate inner face H of the housing. A passageway 7! extends along the wall and permits a preliminary vacuum action to take place in each pocket as it approaches the main housing. Formed in the wall of the recesses 68 are arcuate recesses 12 which receive arcuate ejector fingers 13. These ejector fingers are mounted in the discs 65 and 66 upon shafts 14, the lower end of which shafts extend into thimble bushings 15 while the upper ends of the shafts 14 extend through the wall 65 and are fitted with cam arms 15. These arms are secured upon the upper ends of the shafts l4 and swing horizontally. The outer ends of the arms 16 are each .fitted with a boss H which receives a roller pin 18. Carried at the upper end of each of the roller pins 18 is a cam roller 19. These cam rollers travel along a stationary cam groove 8 formed in the under face of the cover member 42 of the valve housing 32. The exact design of the cam groove is indicated in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings, where it will be seen that the fingers 13 will lie within the arcuate, recesses 72 while a can is being received and carried to the outlet opening 31 of the valve housing 32, at which time the cam arm 76 associated with the pocket 68 within which a can is positioned will be ejected through the opening 31 and into proper engagement with recesses 8| of a star wheel 82. The star wheel is mounted upon a shaft 83 and is driven in synchronism with the shaft 40 of the turret 63 and the shaft 28 of the feed fingers 2?.

As previously described, the shaft 28 is carried by a bracket 3!. By reference to Fig. 4 it will be seen that this bracket is formed with a tongue 84 which extends in a horizontal groove 85 in the side wall of the valve housing 32. Suitable cap screws 86 hold the bracket in position. The opposite side of the valve housing 32 is formed with a wide throat section 81 which flares outwardly at opposite sides of the opening 31. This throat section terminates in vertical flanges 88 which fit between side flanges 89 carried by a throat plate 90 of the main vacuum chamber housing 38. Clamping members 9I are secured to the flanges 89 by cap screws 92 and overhang the portions 88, thus providing vertical guideways within which the portions 88 are held and along which they may move vertically. Packing and clamping members 93 are interposed between the members 9| and 88 and are secured in position by cap screws 94, which make it possible for the entire valve housing 32 to be vertically adjusted and set while accommodating the vertical adjustment of the stretcher through the medium of the adjusting sleeves 54 and 55. It is to be understood that the throat 81 is closed at its upper and lower ends and provides the passageway 31 with a height somewhat greater than the ture standing vertically and within which a double seaming feed turret 95 is mounted. The structure is carried on a central vertical shaft I42 and is of the general type shown in my issued U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,052,620 dated September 1, 1936 and entitled Double seaming machine. That particular structure is characterized as including a series of double seaming heads mounted upon a turret and having upper and lower chucks between which a canand a cap are gripped after they have been loosely clenched together in the unit here indicated at I0 in the drawings. The seaming heads include sets of seaming rolls which cooperate to form the initial and final double seaming operations on the cans while the cans are traveling around with the turret and around the axis of the shaft I42. The lower chucks of the seaming turret are indicated at 91 in Fig. of the drawings. It is to be understood that their upper faces are level with the upper face of a floor plate 98 which extends through the throat 8'! of the valve housing 32 and is in the same horizontal plane with the upper face of the lower disc portionBB of the valve turret 65. An arcuate guide rail 99 is disposed above the floor 98 and concentric to the axis of the star wheel shaft 83. This guide rail will direct cans to a point where their longitudinal centers will be concentric with the circular path of travel of the lower chucks 91 and will thereafter be led around with the chucks 97, the star wheel I00 and the upper chucks and complementary seaming heads but which operate ontinuously in producing a double seaming operation as the can passes along the circular path of' travel defined by the rotating turret 95.

The cans are discharged from the vacuum chamber 39 through a discharge throat IOI communicating with a throat I02 of a valve housing I03. rotating valve element I04 substantially identical with the valve element 63 in the valve housing 32. The rotating element I04 is formed With can pockets I 05 into which the cans are fed from the vacuum seaming chamber 39 along a fioor I06.

Arcuate guide rails I01 extend into the path of Mounted within the valve housing I03 is a the cans in the double seaming turret 95 and when the chucks of the double seaming turret release the cans the cans are diverted from the turret and on to the floor I06. A star wheel I08 is mounted upon a shaft I09 and is synchronized to feed the cans outwardly along the guide rail I0! and into the pockets I05 of the rotary valve element I04. As previously described for the valve structure including the valve housing 32 and the rotary member 63, the pockets I05.are each provided with an ejector finger IIO which fingers swing around the axis of shafts III. These shafts carry arms I I2 at the free ends of which are cam rollers II3. These rollers travel along a cam groove H4 in the top plate of the housing I03 and function in the same way as the fingers I3, arms I6 and grooves I9 of the inlet can valve.

By reference to Fig. 7 of the drawings it will be evident that the valve housing I03 is provided with vertical adjustment similar to that described for the valve housing 32, the parts being the same in construction and arrangement and herein being likewise indicated by numerals.

In order to guide the cans into proper engagement with the star wheel 8I and proper travel from the star wheel I08, a guide finger H5 is provided adjacent to the shaft 83 and overhangs the star wheel 8| while a guide finger H6 is mounted adjacent to the shaft I09 and overhangs the star wheel I08.

An outlet opening I ll is formed in the housing I03 and through which the cans are discharged by the fingers IIO. -A floor H8 is provided level with the floor of the recesses I05 on to which the cans slide. A star wheel II9 mounted upon a shaft I I9 carries the cans away from the machine.

The vacuum seaming unit II is driven from a suitable line shaft carrying a pulley from which a belt is led to a pulley I freely mounted upon a drive shaft I2I. The drive shaft I2I stands horizontally and is rotatably supported in a bearing head I22 mounted upon the vacuum chamber housing 38. This head includes a dome portion I23 having a bolting flange I24 through which cap screws I25 extend to engage threaded openings I26 in the upper end of the housing 38. The shaft I2I extends transversely of the vertical center of the bearing head I22 and its central longitudinal axis intersects the central vertical axis of the bearing head. Due to the arrangement of the cap screws I25 and the threaded openings I26 it is possible to rotate the bearing head I22 so that theshaft I2I may be disposed in any desired position in a horizontal plane, such for example vas the position shown by solid lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings and dotted lines in Fig. 3 of the drawings, or the position shown .in solid lines in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Other intermediate angular positions may be assumed if desired in order to properly connect the pulley with the line shaft.

The shaft I2I which carries the pulley I20 also carries the clutch I 21 which is manipulated by a shifting yoke I28 and an operating lever I29. The lever I29 and the yoke are connected through a shaft I30 which is mounted in a vertical bearing I3I carried by a bracket I32 secured to the housing 38. The bearing head I 22 carries two journal boxes I33 and I34 which are in longitudinal alignment at the top of the bearing head I22 and are spaced from each other. A partition structure I35 connects the contiguous ends of the boxes I33 and I34, and thus provides Iii):

3 sembled position.

a grease case, the top of which is closed by a cover plate 38 held in position by cap screws I31. Mounted upon the shaft I2I and within the grease compartment I38 is a bevel gear pinion I39 which is in mesh with a bevel gear I48. The bevel gear I49 is mounted upon the upper end of a vertical drive shaft I42 which extends vertically through the vacuum chamber 39 and the housing 38 and provides a central axis for the double seaming turret 95 referred to previously. The upper end of the shaft I42 is rotatably supported in a bearing I43 which is suspended from the partition I35 of the bearing head I22.

An upper turret drum I44 is mounted upon the shaft E42 directly beneath the bearing I43.

This drum has an outer cylindrical wall I45 which is spaced from a cylindrical face I46 of a cooling compartment wall I41 which is within the outer cylindrical wall of the housing 38 and is spaced therefrom to form an annular cooling medium compartment I 48, the purposes and advantages of which will be hereinafter explained. The cooling medium within the compartment I48 will tend to reduce the temperature of the wall I41 and the cylindrical wall M of the turret drum E44. This will tend to lower the temperature of spindle bearings I49 which are carried by the turret drum I44 and receive the spindle structures 558 of the double seaming heads l5I which are generally indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and which, as previously described, are of the construction disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,052,620 issued to me on September 1, 1936. The spindle bearings I49 are suitably secured to the walls I45 by spiders 552 while the space between the bearings and the shaft I42 is closed by a cup-shaped pan l53. Mounted above the pan 53 is a tubular hub I54 which has a bearing I55 at its lower end through which the shaft I 42 extends. The diameter of the tubular hub is such as to cause its cylindrical wall to be spaced from the outer face of the shaft I42 to accommodate a downwardly projecting hub I55 which is carried by the portion I35 of the bearing head. I22 and is formed integral with the bearing I43 previously described. The downwardly projecting hub I55 is splined to the member I54 as indicated at I58 so that the member I54 will be held against rotation when in its as- An overhead knocker cam I51 is carried at the upper end of the hub I54 and cooperates with the knocker rod I58 in loosening the cans from the chuck in the double seaming heads I5I after the sealing operation.

Splined to the shaft I42 is a double seaming center drive gear unit I59 carrying an upper gear I88 and a lower gear I5 I. The upper gear meshes with the double seaming head drive gears I52 and the lower gear meshes with the double sea-mer cam drive gears 553, one of each such gears being a part of each double seaming head unit I5l. The lower end of the upper turret drum I44 is formed with a spider I64 which has a central huh I 85. Fitted in the upper end of this '1 hub is an anti-friction bearing I65 having an outer ball race I81 and an inner ball race 88. A lip 59 on the gear unit I59 rests against the inner ball race. A shoulder forming a seat for the outer ball race provides a support for the lower edge of the outer ball race in the hub I65.

Disposed beneath the hearing I 88 and extending downwardly through the hub is a lower turret sleeve H8. The lower turret sleeve is fastened to the hub I85 by a cap screw I1I. Mounted on the lower end of the sleeve I18 is the star wheel I98. This is secured to a hub structure I12 by cap screws I13. The cap screws extend downwardly into the end of an adjusting sleeve structure I14. The lower end of the sleeve I18 is fitted with a bearing bushing I15 for the shaft I42. This shaft continues downwardly and extends through the hub of the lower turret I16. This turret receives the spindle structure I11 of the lower chuck plates 91 of the double seaming structure.

The lower turret I16 is disposed directly above a transverse spider I18 formed at the bottom of the main housing 38 and there across. An inclined trough is formed around this spider as indicated at I19 and is provided with an outlet opening I80 normally closed by a washer I8I. This is: held in position by a bolt I82 and a swing nut I83. The lower turret I15 is formed with a central web portion I84 carried by a hub I85. The hub I85 is fastened to a lower sleeve I86 by a suitable fastening bolt I81. The lower sleeve l88 extends downwardly to receive certain driving gears to be hereinafter described. The shaft I42 extends through the sleeve. The upper end of the sleeve I85 carries a suitable bushing !81 for the shaft.

The hub I85 is fitted with an enlarged cylindrical portion I88 at its upper end which is splined within a cylindrical sleeve I89 of the adjustable sleeve structure I14, thus the star wheel 58!] and the lower turret I18 may have vertical movement with relation to each other while being maintained in driving relation to each other. This adjustment is provided by a compound nut including an outer cylindrical nut member I90 which is threaded on to a threaded portion I9I of the adjusting sleeve structure I14 at its upper end and to a threaded member I92 at its lower end. which member is secured to the lower turret I 16. The threads at the upper and lower ends of the nut I99 are opposite so that rotation of the nut will cause the star wheel I00 and the turret I16 to be drawn towards or away from each other depending upon the direction of rotation. It is preferable that the nut I98 be pro vided with an outer sleeve I93 which is splined to the nut and which carries a worm gear I 94. The worm gear is in mesh with a worm I95 by which the sleeve I93 may be rotated. This rotation will in turn impart rotation to the nut I90 and the worm gear set will hold the nut in a locked position.

Disposed beneath the transverse spider portion I18 is the upper wall SI of the base of the machine. Mounted upon this is the lifting cam I95 which cooperates with the lifting rollers I91 of the lower turret spindles in the usual manner. A cam guard I98 is mounted adjacent to the cam The bed plate 6| is formed with a hub I99 which receives a bearing bushing 290 through which the sleeve I86 and the shaft I42 extend. The sleeve I86 projects downwardly a sufficient distance to receive the hub of the lower turret gear 28I. The shaft I42 continues downwardly and receives the hub of the lower center pinion 282. The pinion 282 is in mesh with the gear 283 carried upon a stub shaft 294. This shaft is mounted in a suitable bearing on the bed plate 8i and carries a pinion 285 which is in mesh with the gear 28I, thus the shaft I42 drives the sleeve I81 and the sleeve I18 with the lower turret I16 and the upper turret drum I44.

The various gears are held in their assembled position at the lower end of the sleeve I81 and the shaft I42 by nuts 206. A cap 201 may be secured in place by cap screws 208 at the bottom of the base structure to seal the base housing and also provide access to the nuts 206. Attention is directed to the fact that the base housing which includes the bed plate 6I also includes a gear pan 209 which is secured therebeneath by cap screws 2I0. The pan 209 encloses other gears of a gear train to be hereinafter set forth.

The bed plate 6I carries a bearing 2, upwardly through which extends star wheel shaft 83. This is also held by a bearing 2I2 adjacent to the floor 98 over which the cans travel into the machine and through the throat 31. The shaft 83 is fitted with a gear 2 I 3 which is in mesh with the gear 20I and is driven thereby. A gear 2I4 is in mesh with the gear 2I3. The gear 2I4 is secured to the lower end of the valve shaft 40 and drives the same. In mesh with the gear 2I4 is a gear 2 I 5 which is carried upon the star wheel shaft 28.

Disposed at right angles to the position of the star wheel shaft 83 within the vacuum chamber is the star wheel shaft I09. A gear 2I6 is carried by this shaft and is in mesh with the gear 20I. It is to be understood that while not shown in detail in the drawings, the gear 2I3 with its shaft 83 and the gear 2I6 with its shaft I09 function alike and are mounted in the same type of bearings and operate in synchronism. with the double seaming turret structure to deliver cans to the double seaming turret and to withdraw them therefrom. The gear 2I6 is in mesh with a gear 2I'I on the valve I04. This gear is mounted upon the shaft 2I8 carrying the outlet valve member I04. The gear 2| I is in mesh with a final feed gear 2I9, which is carried by the star wheel shaft H9 and rotates the star wheel II9. It is to be understood that a similar gear train is provided through the unit I0 so that the complete feed of the cans will be brought about in synchronism and so that the cans will be properly delivered to the first star wheel 2I as the cans enter the vacuum double seaming stage.

By reference to the arrangement here shown it will be seen that the vacuum chamber 39 is adequately sealed at both ends so that there will be no leak through the various bearings. It is desirable to gain access to the interior of the vacuum chamber from time to time and the various other compartments. As shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings two port holes 220 and HI are provided in the wall of the housing 38. These are substantially at right angles to eachother and the central axis of the housing. Each of these openings is fitted with cover plates 222, here shown as pivotally mounted at 223 to a clamping lever 224.

The levers 224 are pivoted at 225 to the housing and are secured in place by clamp ,bolts 226.

Suitable gaskets 221 are interposed between the cover plates 222 and the end faces of the walls of the housing surrounding the two port holes. It may also be desirable to gain access to the lubricating space within the head I22. A cover structure for this purpose is indicated at 228 in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

Under various circumstances it is desirable to place the vacuum closing machine at a particular level with relation to the flow lines and the delivery tables, and this is especially so when the machine is adjusted for cans varying in height since the present machine provides that the lower adjustment is accomplished as previously described by the adjusting units associated with the shafts 40 and 2I8 of the inlet and outlet valves, as represented by the sleeves 54, and shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings and the adjustment for the lower turret represented by the nut I90 and the members I9I and I92 shown in Fig. 5 of the. drawings. When such adjustments have been made it is necessary to move the machine bodily. 'This is accomplished by providing the bed plate 6| with legs 229. The .legs are'bolted beneath portions of the bed plate BI by cap screws 230 and extend downwardly. The lower ends of the legs 229 have an outwardly flaring canopy 23I for a purpose to be hereinafter described. A central opening is' formed upwardly through each of the legs and at the lower end of each of such openings a threaded bushing 232 is secured. Extending through the threaded bushing is the threadedportion of an adjustable leg rod 233'. The upper ends of these rods project above the upper level of the bed plate BI and as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings have squared portions 234. The lower ends of the rods are each fitted with a bevel gear 235 which is secured. in place upon the rod beneath the threaded bushing 232, in fact the bushing rests directly against the upper end face of the hub of the bevel gear. The gear is formed with a hub portion 235 having an enlarged outwardly flaring canopy with a downwardly extending cylindrical wall 236. Extending upwardly into the mouth of this member is a foot piece 23'! which rests upon the floor and has an upper seat to receive an anti-friction bearing 238 which is interposed between the foot piece 231 and the canopy 236. The foot piece is secured to the lower end of the rod 233 upon which it is mounted by a nut 239. Thus, it will be recognized that when the leg structure is assembled, as here shown and described, the weight will be imposed upon the bearing 238 and that when the shaft 233 is rotated through the threaded bushing 232 the leg 229 will be in effect lengthened or shortened in order to position the adjusting mechanism at a proper operating level.

It is desirable that the legs 229 shall be simultaneously adjusted for length. They are, therefore. all operatively connected. Formed on the side of each of the legs 229 is a bearing bracket 240 within which a shaft 24I is rotatably supported. At each end of each of the shafts 24I a bevel gear pinion 242 is secured. These pinions are in mesh with the bevel gears 235 carried by the leg rods 233. It is to be understood that the gear shafts 24I are disposed between legs of the structure and that they carrypinions 242 at their opposite ends in mesh with the gears 235 of the leg structures between which they extend.

.By this arrangement when one of the leg shafts 233-is rotatedrotation will be imparted through the gear shafts 24I to the other shafts 233 so that they will rotate simultaneously in a raising or lowering operation.

A wrench 243 is provided, as shown in Fig. 6. It isformed with a handle and a head. The head has a squared opening 244 through it to receive one of the upper extending squared portions 234 of a leg rod 233. It will be evident that since each of the leg rods is supplied with a member 234 it is possible for the handle to be used at the most convenient location around the machine.

By reference to Figs. 1, 3 and 11 it will be seen that the valve units comprising the inlet feed valve 29 and the discharge valve structure I03 are hinged for horizontal swinging movement upon the main housing of the vacuum seaming machine. Here it will be seen that hinges 250 are provided to support the valve units and to permit them to swing away from the side faces of the housing 38 with which they form a seal. Locking lugs 25I are disposed upon the opposite sides of the housings 32 of the two valve units and are engaged by locking bolts 252 which are pivoted to the housing upon pins 253 and provided with lock nuts 254, as particularly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. It will be recognized that in this type of valve unit construction the valve units are fixed so far as vertical adjustment is concerned.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 11 of the drawings, it will be seen that the valve housing 32 is cylindrical and that its inner face 255 is preferably tapered downwardly and inwardly. This insures a tight seal between the lower disc 66 of the turret 63 and between the upper disc 65 of the turret and the inner surface of the housing. The upper end of the housing is closed with a cover plate 42, as previously described, and the lower end of the housing is closed by a spider 50. The shaft 46 which extends through the turret 63 is shown in Fig. 11 of the drawings as being formed at its upper end with a transverse slot 258 through which a tapered pin 25'! extends. The pin 251 also extends through the walls of a hub 253 formed as a part of the turret 63. The upper end of the shaft 40 is formed with a central counter-bore 259. This counter-bore receives an adjusting pin 260 through which the tapered pin 251 also passes. The upper end of the adjusting pin is provided with lock nuts 261 by which the vertical position of the-turret 63 on the shaft 48 may be set. The upper end of the shaft 48 is provided with a lock nut 262 which rests against the inner race of the antifriction bearing 4|. By this arrangement it is possible to adjust the tapered faces of the upper and lower turret discs with relation to the tapered face of the housing 32. The shaft 49 is fitted at its lower end with the gear 214 which is in mesh with the other gears in the gear train. This gear is suitably driven by a shaft 263 which is in longitudinal alignment with the shaft 41] and therebeneath. Mounted upon the shaft 263 is a safety clutch element 264 which is pinned to the shaft, the element 264 having a transverse keyway 264 in its upper face to receive a key 265 formed on the under side of a disc 265. Disposed above the disc 265 is a disc 266 having a key 266 on its upper face to engage a keyway 261 formed as part of a disc 268 and running transversely but perpendicular to the slot 264 and a key 268' formed on its upper face. The key 268' engages a keyway 269 formed in the under side of the gear 2I4. In alignment with the keyways 261 and formed in the under face of disc 268 and in the upper face of disc 265 and in alignment with each other are slots 269 and 219 to receive a pin 210' which holds the complete unit in assembled relation. The structure thus is built to enable the operator to quickly swing out the turret 29; This is done by pulling the pin 210' and sliding out the disc 265 on its key 265'. The two structures are thus disengaged.

In operation of the present invention it is assumed that cans are flowing into the machine from various can runways and that they are delivered to the machine on a predetermined horizontal plane. The cans are led onto the floor of the feed structure and into engagement with the star wheel I2, after which they are led around the tracks I3 and I4 and between tracks I6 and 61, Where they are fed forwardly by the star wheel mechanism I5. The cans are then deliver-ed to the arcuate runway defined by the rails I8 and are fed forwardly by suitable feed means It. The cans are then led through the unit It where the caps are loosely crimped to the body of the can. Here they are engaged by suitable crimping heads 21 and are led around the turret I9, after which they are discharged by the star wheel 22 along the rail 24 and to the transfer disc 25. The transfer disc is at a predetermined level and it is therefore necessary to adjust the floor 26 of the vacuum double seaming unit II to accommodate the can, regardless of the height of the can. The initial adjusting action in order to accommodate cans of various heights is made in the vacuum double seaming unit.

By reference to Fig. 5 it will be seen that the upper turret I44 of the double seaming unit carrying the double seaming heads is supported in the housing 38 in a manner to preclude the possibility of vertical adjustment. It is necessary, therefore, to adjust the upper turret structure, including drum I44 and head I6I to lower it toward the lower chuck plates 91 to a desired level. This is accomplished by rotating the threaded adjusting sleeve I90 which acts to telescope the structure including the members I9I, I92 and the sleeve I99 and will draw the lower turret frame I16 upwardly while at the same time lifting the lower chuck plates 91. lower turret structure I16 is lifted the hub I85 with its extension I88 will slide upwardly on the shaft I42 and within the sleeve I14. Since the portions I14 and I88 are splined together it is evident that a driving connection will be maintained for the spider I00 and the lower turret H6 irrespective of the adjustment. The adjusting rotation of the threaded sleeve I90, as previously set forth, is brought about by rotation of a worm 195 which is in mesh with a worm gear I94 carried by the lower turret I16 in a bearing I95. The bearing is provided with a suitable lock screw I64 by which the structure may be held in its locked position. It will be seen that as the upper turret including the drum I44 and head I51 are lowered they will reduce the space between the lower chuck plates 91 and the chuck plates in the seaming heads I5I to accommodate a shorter can. If required, the intake valve housing 32 and the outlet valve housing 106 may be adjusted by means of the threaded sleeve 55 shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings and the cooperating action between this sleeve and the members 54 and 69. Thus, it will be seen that the valve housings with their entire feed mechanisms may be adjusted until the upper face of the floor 66 of the rotating valve elements 63 and I 04 are in horizontal alignment with the floor 98. The valve housings during such an adjustment slide vertically in the guide structures comprising the members 89 and 90 and the members 9I, as shown in Fig. '7. When the valve housings have been placed at the desired height or level they are set in position by the set screws 94. Suitable gaskets 83 are interposed between the faces 88 of the valve housings and the face of the main housing 38, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. This insures a vacuum seal across the upper and lower edges of the valve housings While the clamping action of the bolts As the 94 to bring the faces of the members 88 and 08 together will seal the joint vertically.

When these adjustments have been completed it will be evident that the feed plane of the inlet valve structure is out of alignment with the plane of the transverse disc 25. It is then necessary to bodily adjust the machine vertically. This is done by applying the wrench 243 to one of the extensions 234 of the leg rods 233. Appropriate rotation of the rod to which the wrench has been applied will cause simultaneous rotation of all of the other rods 233, here shown as being four in number. After the machine has been thus vertically adjusted the clenched cans are passed from the transfer disc to the star wheel 21 and are then fed into the housing 32 and into the pockets B8 of the rotary valve member 63. While the cans are thus fed into the pockets which come to register with the inlet opening 36 of the housing 32 the ejector fingers 13 will lie with their outer faces flush and conforming with the contour of the recesses 68 into which the cans are placed.

As the cans pass around within the housing 32 and while carried by the rotary valve element 63 the cam rollers 79 will travel along the cam groove 80 and will act upon the levers "I6 so that as the can reaches the outlet throat 31 of the inlet valve housing 32 the ejecting fingers 13 will swing outwardly to move the can through the throat 31 and on to the floor 98. Here it will be engaged by the star wheel 82 and carried into the double seaming machine. During the double seaming operation there is a tendency for the seaming head structure and its bearings to overheat. This is due to the fact that the entire operating mechanism is hermetically enclosed within the housing 38 and that a condition of partial vacuum exists. In order to maintain the Working parts at a suitable temperature a cooling liquid is circulated within the cooling chamber I48. It has been found that water drawn directly from the commercial water lines of a plant is sufficient. A water line is, therefore, attached to a connection 245, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. This introduces water at a relatively low temperature to the compartment I48 at one side of a vertical partition wall 246. The water is then free to circulate around and within the compartment I48 and to be dischargedtherefrom through an outlet opening 241, here shown as disposed near the top of the chamber I48 and upon the opposite side of the partition wall 246 from the inlet opening 245. This cooling medium absorbs the heat carried by the upper turret drum I44 and in actual practice maintains the structure sufiiciently cool for proper operation.

A connection to a suitable suction pump is attached at 249 and leads through apassageway 250 into the vacuum chamber 39.

After the cans have been seamed they are transferred from the double seaming head by the star wheel I08 to the outlet valve housing I03, where they are delivered into the pockets I of the rotary valve element I04. Upon reaching the outlet throat II1 of the valve housing I03 the cans are ejected from their respective pockets by the ejector fingers I I0 and are delivered onto the table H8, where they are fed forwardly by the star wheel H9.

It will thus be seen that the vacuum double seaming machine here disclosed is simple in its construction, since it does not require the use of specially designed cap feed mechanism or specially designed double seaming mechanism, and provides means whereby double seaming mechanism of standard design may be used satisfactorily within a completely enclosed vacuum chamber without over-heating. It will further be noted that the valve mechanism is simple and direct in its action in receiving and ejecting cans, and that the entire machine may be quickly adjusted without the removal or replacement of parts to accommodate cans of various heights, and that when desired the machine may be easily adjusted to accommodate cans of various diameters.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention as now known to me, it will be understood that various changes may !be made in combination, construction and arrangements of parts by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of my invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A rotary double seaming machine for cans comprising a vertical drive shaft, an upper turret moving around the axis of said shaft, double seaming heads carried by said turret, a lower turret rotating around the axis of said shaft and supporting cans to be seamed, a frame rotatably supporting the shaft, driving connections between the shaft and the turrets, a driving connection between thelower turret and the shaft, a driving connection between the lower turret and the upper turret, and adjustable means interposed in the last named driving connection whereby the two turrets may be set in a desired spaced relation to each other.

2. A vacuum double seaming machine com-prising a can double seaming unit, a vacuum housing enclosing the same, said housing having openings in the side thereof, one through which cans are introduced into the housing and the other through which they are withdrawn, a can valve for each of said openings and by which the vacuum seal is maintained within the housing while introducing the cans into the housing and withdrawing them therefrom, means associated with the can valves and acting to move the cans from within the housing of the can valve structure, means for changing the level of the plane along which the bottom of the cans move while within the housing, and means for adjusting the can valve structures to dispose the lower ends of the cans in the plane assumed by them within the vacuum chamber.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a vacuum housing having an opening in the side wall thereof, a valve housing having openings in the side wall thereof, one of said openings providing an inlet passageway for cans and the other of said openings providing a passageway for cans from the valve housing to the vacuum housing, a. rotary valve element with in said housing, the contiguous faces of the valve element and the housing having a running fit, can receiving pockets formed in the periphery of the rotary valve element, swinging arms, one within each of said pockets, and overhead control means for said arms acting to move the arms to an unobstructing position when the cans are introduced into the pockets and are moved therewith within the valve housing and to an ejecting position when the cans and pockets move to register with the opening leading from the valve housing into the vacuum housing.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with a vacuum housing having an opening in the side Wall thereof, a valve housing having openings in the side wall thereof, one of 7 said openings providing an inlet passageway for cans and the other of said openings providing a passageway for cans from the valve housing to the vacuum housing, a rotary valve element within said housing, the contiguous faces of the valve element and the housing having a running fit, can receiving pockets formed in the periphery of the rotary valve element, swinging arms, one within each of said pockets, overhead control means for said arms acting to move the arms to an unobstructing position when the cans are introduced into the pockets and are moved therewith within the valve housing and to an ejecting position when the cans and pockets move to register with the opening leading from the valve housing into the vacuum housing, and means for vertically adjusting the position of the valve housing and the rotary valve element with relation to the vacuum housing.

5. In a device of the character described a housing forming a vacuum chamber within which cans are to be double seamed and which housing is in communication with suction creating means, said housing having an opening through which cans are passed to the chamber, a valve housing disposed: in proximity to the first named housing and having an opening in communication with the opening through the first named housing and through which cans may pass, the valve housing being formed with a second opening throughwhich cans enter the valve housing, a rotary valve element within the valve housing forming a substantially air-tight seal with the housing, a plurality of can receiving pockets in said rotary element into which cans are placed and from which they are discharged into the housing of the vacuum chamber, and a conduit extending along the wall of the valve housing and in communication with the vacuum chamber whereby a vacuum action will be created within a pocket of the rotary member as it advances toward the point of discharge of the can within said pocket into the vacuum chamber.

6. A vacuum double seaming machine includr ing a main housing, a double seaming unit within said main housing and which main housing is under a condition of partial vacuum, inlet and outlet openings in the side walls of said housing through which cans may pass, can valve units disposed over said openings and through which cans are fed to the main housing and withdrawn therefrom without breaking the seal of the housing, hinge means for supporting said valve units on the housing whereby the valve units may swing toward and away from operative positions with relation to the openings in the main housing, driving means for the valve units, and interlocking driving connections between the driving means and the valve units whereby the valve units may be swung bodily out of engagement with the driving means.

7. A rotary double seaming machine including central vertical shaft, a turret mounted thereon and rotating around the axis thereof, said turret including double seaming heads, a gear train disposed at the upper end of the turret for driving the same and said heads, a cylindrical housing for the gears carried by and moving with the turret, and a stationary circumscribing water jacket for said housing with its inner circumferential wall in close proximity to the outer surface of said turret gear housing whereby heat radiation will take place from the turret gear housing to the water jacket as the turret rotates.

8. In a double seaming machine, a vertical shaft, an upper turret and a lower turret mounted thereon, can supporting chucks on the lower tur ret, seaming heads on the upper turret, a splined connection between the upper turret and the lower turret and a threaded coupling between the upper turret and the lower turret whereby said turrets may be vertically adjusted with relation to each other.

9. Same as 8, adding the following:and an irreversible gear structure for rotating and setting said threaded coupling.

10. A supporting structure for double seaming machines and the like, including a sub frame having leg elements disposed at points around the bottom thereof, vertical bores in said legs,

thereby to rotate the screws with relation to the threaded bushings and to raise or lower the sub frame.

11. Same as 10, adding the following:and anti-friction bearings interposed between the gear structures and the feet to facilitate rotation of the gears.

HENRY L. GUENTHER. 

